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Jakk
Great Reader
Canada
2165 Posts |
 Posted - 18 Apr 2010 : 06:14:50
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
<snip>
It's not a problem. You develop a simple system -- a white board that can be set with squares or hexes, a text chat system, a voice chat, and a dice roller -- all integrated. Simple markers for PCs, NPCs, and monsters. The DM can draw out whatever floorplan he needs, and from there you use it like simple graph paper. The voice chat lets everyone talk, the text chat simulates passing notes, and everyone uses the dice roller.
And that's all you need -- you sell it on a subscription basis, just like that, a simple system that will support any ruleset and any house rules for any game -- because the rules aren't integrated into it.
For expansions, you sell monster and specialized PC/NPC icons, and things like the tilesets they pushed for the minis. You sell a basic template set for things like fireballs and lightning bolts, and maybe a customizable set for other stuff.
And you can integrate rulesets in for another fee.
The table itself is a subscription-based service, but the expansions and rulesets are one-time fees and go with the buyer.
Doing all this allows you to capture almost all of the advantages of an MMO -- including the monthly subscription fee -- without having to print a single book. And keeping it simple, without integrated rules, means you can use it for any game system -- any of the flavors of D&D, or Runequest, or BattleTech, or Shadowrun, or any other system you can name.
The objective of the virtual gaming table isn't to take anything away from PnP games -- the objective is to move them from the table in the den or the basement to a global table. Players still need their books and such, this just gives them more people to game with.
Wooly, I'm not surprised to find myself saying this... I just would have meant it somewhat differently before your post above... but Wizbro could do worse than to hire a hamster to run its online gaming division... 
Of course, the fact that it's usable with any game system would probably kill it right there... remember, if we're not playing New Coke, we're not having fun...  |
Playing in the Realms since the Old Grey Box (1987)... and *still* having fun with material published before 2008, despite the NDA'd lore.
If it's comparable in power with non-magical abilities, it's not magic. |
Edited by - Jakk on 18 Apr 2010 06:23:39 |
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Ashe Ravenheart
Great Reader
USA
3243 Posts |
Posted - 18 Apr 2010 : 07:30:05
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
And you can integrate rulesets in for another fee.
That is the difficult part. The rest is pretty simple, like you said, but to have all of the rules integrated (and preferably interactive) is where it vexes the programmers. |
I actually DO know everything. I just have a very poor index of my knowledge.
Ashe's Character Sheet
Alphabetized Index of Realms NPCs |
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Thauramarth
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
729 Posts |
Posted - 18 Apr 2010 : 08:43:49
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by Jakk
And that is why P&P gaming is dying.
Actually, I think it's because the world we live in now simply doesn't encourage or make easy the option of getting a handful of friends together on a regular basis, for several hours at a time.
And that's why an online gaming table -- which we were promised, and which became vaporware -- would go much, much further towards saving the hobby than a new edition would.
Since this thread is about open and spirited debate, I will disagree with both Jakk and Wooly on this count  .
Yes, the hardest thing about P&P is that you have to get a group together, but that's always been the case. The high tide of my gaming days was in university (admittedly, I spent all of the 90s there, but that's neither here not there ), where you had the proximity and the critical mass of interested people to get together. My main "dry spell" was immediately after graduating, with the group(s) spreading out, getting into their own thing and adjusting to the real world (work, family life, prison, you know, the usual). It's no harder (or easier) than to get people to show up for a sport team's training. Difficulties in getting player groups together arise from, among other things, the same reasons why network television is in decline - there are many, many more distractions (internet, anyone?) that take up people's leisure time, other than what already existed before the advent of the net (pesky family life...).
Jakk, I disagree with your assessment that P&P is dying. It will never mobilise the same numbers as it did at the height of the hobby, but blame the increase in demands on everybody's leisure time for that... I can only speak for myself, but I have been in a gaming club in London, UK, for about two years now. We meet in the events room of a pub, and when I joined, we had one night a week, with around 5-6 games going on. Now we are at four nights a week, with 5-6 games per evening, 5-6 players per game. Admittedly, there is turnover (from our original CoC group of 6-7, only the GM and me are still there, but even so, our roster has been stable for the last half year or so). We just cannot figure out how this happened...
As for the "virtual table top"... it has potential, especially for people living in areas that lack the critical mass of players to engage in a game. However, I do not think that it will significantly increase the P&P player base. I, in any event, will choose a gathering around a creaky table over sitting behind the computer, even if it is in the comfort of my home. First of all, think of the potential for distraction - kids barging in, the missus wanting some "attention", checking E-mails, being AFK at an inconvenient time(Leroy Jenkins, anyone)? Second, and maybe I am old-fashioned and conservative about this (which we P&P gamers never are, of course), sitting in front of a computer is just not the same thing as sitting around a table... My thinking is that at best, a virtual desktop (and these already exist, and have existed for a long while) it might marginally increase the player base, but I think that the additional numbers would come from old-timers dusting off their books, and settling for something better than nothing, rather than newcomers to P&P. I just get the impression that pitting a virtual gaming table against the other distractions available through the internet would be akin to setting "Fort Apocalypse" against "Call of Duty." "Fort" may attract some nostalgic gamers, but the new guys will always (or almost always) go for the new stuff. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36803 Posts |
Posted - 18 Apr 2010 : 15:38:51
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Oh, I'll agree that a virtual gaming table wouldn't be the same as an actual table with all your friends gathered, and that you'd also have all those other distractions to deal with... Of course, kids and significant others can barge in or call if you're at a friend's house, too.
I'm looking at situations like mine -- I'm still in contact with most of my old gaming group, but because of scheduling conflicts, we've not rolled dice together in over ten years. I have literally not played D&D since the waning days of 2E.
And I know other people are in similar situations -- they want to play, but they simply can't coordinate with a group of locals. So me and people like that have two choices: rearrange our schedules to find another local group and go thru the issues of coordinating with them, or simply don't play. A virtual gaming table gives a third option -- players that aren't local.
Yeah, there's still going to be scheduling issues, but it's a hell of a lot easier to coordinate with people when they all they have to do is get comfortable in front of the computer. MMOs have people gathering for raids at set schedules on a daily basis -- that proves it can be done. My local friends may not be able to free up six hours every Friday night, starting at 7, but for players in other parts of the world, that may be 9 PM or 1AM, and a perfect time for them to play.
Chatting with people online certainly lacks the camaraderie of an in-the-flesh gathering, but it's more than you get with no gaming at all. |
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I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen!  |
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Jakk
Great Reader
Canada
2165 Posts |
Posted - 18 Apr 2010 : 16:42:41
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quote:
Originally posted by Thauramarth
<snip>
Since this thread is about open and spirited debate, I will disagree with both Jakk and Wooly on this count .
Yes, the hardest thing about P&P is that you have to get a group together, but that's always been the case. The high tide of my gaming days was in university (admittedly, I spent all of the 90s there, but that's neither here not there ), where you had the proximity and the critical mass of interested people to get together. My main "dry spell" was immediately after graduating, with the group(s) spreading out, getting into their own thing and adjusting to the real world (work, family life, prison, you know, the usual). It's no harder (or easier) than to get people to show up for a sport team's training. Difficulties in getting player groups together arise from, among other things, the same reasons why network television is in decline - there are many, many more distractions (internet, anyone?) that take up people's leisure time, other than what already existed before the advent of the net (pesky family life...).
Jakk, I disagree with your assessment that P&P is dying. It will never mobilise the same numbers as it did at the height of the hobby, but blame the increase in demands on everybody's leisure time for that... I can only speak for myself, but I have been in a gaming club in London, UK, for about two years now. We meet in the events room of a pub, and when I joined, we had one night a week, with around 5-6 games going on. Now we are at four nights a week, with 5-6 games per evening, 5-6 players per game. Admittedly, there is turnover (from our original CoC group of 6-7, only the GM and me are still there, but even so, our roster has been stable for the last half year or so). We just cannot figure out how this happened...
As for the "virtual table top"... it has potential, especially for people living in areas that lack the critical mass of players to engage in a game. However, I do not think that it will significantly increase the P&P player base. I, in any event, will choose a gathering around a creaky table over sitting behind the computer, even if it is in the comfort of my home. First of all, think of the potential for distraction - kids barging in, the missus wanting some "attention", checking E-mails, being AFK at an inconvenient time(Leroy Jenkins, anyone)? Second, and maybe I am old-fashioned and conservative about this (which we P&P gamers never are, of course), sitting in front of a computer is just not the same thing as sitting around a table... My thinking is that at best, a virtual desktop (and these already exist, and have existed for a long while) it might marginally increase the player base, but I think that the additional numbers would come from old-timers dusting off their books, and settling for something better than nothing, rather than newcomers to P&P. I just get the impression that pitting a virtual gaming table against the other distractions available through the internet would be akin to setting "Fort Apocalypse" against "Call of Duty." "Fort" may attract some nostalgic gamers, but the new guys will always (or almost always) go for the new stuff.
Thauramarth, thank you for your optimism and realism. I naturally tend toward a worst-case scenario; it's learned behaviour from my past experiences with Murphy's Law.  I won't call it pessimism, because it's based on the belief that if you always expect the worst, all of your surprises will be pleasant ones.
I completely agree that we all have more and different demands on our time... and I was a university student for about the same time period you were... coincidence? However, the demands of the significant others have never been an issue with my groups; I'm the stereotypical perpetually-single gamer geek, and the rest of my current gaming group is composed of three couples and three other stereotypical single male gamers. Yes, it's a big group, especially for 3E; we've made it work.
Scheduling issues are actually helped by the size of our group; as long as we can get at least half of us together, we're on. PCs whose players are not present go "in the bucket" and are (by previous agreement among the group) available only for non-combat spellcasting such as item identification and healing. Such participation earns the PC in question partial XP, but we use a different XP table based on the idea that one level-appropriate encounter = 1 XP... it makes the math much simpler, and our DM is an English teacher, so he doesn't like math.
Anyway, thank you again, both Wooly and Thauramarth, for cheering me up about the state of our hobby. I'm going to see if I can finish up these Pathfinder PC conversions now.  |
Playing in the Realms since the Old Grey Box (1987)... and *still* having fun with material published before 2008, despite the NDA'd lore.
If it's comparable in power with non-magical abilities, it's not magic. |
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Brace Cormaeril
Learned Scribe
294 Posts |
Posted - 18 Apr 2010 : 19:01:12
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
And I know other people are in similar situations -- they want to play, but they simply can't coordinate with a group of locals. So me and people like that have two choices: rearrange our schedules to find another local group and go thru the issues of coordinating with them, or simply don't play. A virtual gaming table gives a third option -- players that aren't local.
Just thinking about gaming with people in this community blows my mind. Adventuring with 3 or 4 of you guys? That's what I call a party. |
The Silver Fire's Blade: A Novella in Nine Parts, Available Soon, in the Adventuring Forum!
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Edited by - Brace Cormaeril on 18 Apr 2010 19:02:20 |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31772 Posts |
Posted - 19 Apr 2010 : 01:11:08
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quote:
Originally posted by Brace Cormaeril
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
And I know other people are in similar situations -- they want to play, but they simply can't coordinate with a group of locals. So me and people like that have two choices: rearrange our schedules to find another local group and go thru the issues of coordinating with them, or simply don't play. A virtual gaming table gives a third option -- players that aren't local.
Just thinking about gaming with people in this community blows my mind. Adventuring with 3 or 4 of you guys? That's what I call a party.
We aim to please! |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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skychrome
Senior Scribe
713 Posts |
Posted - 19 Apr 2010 : 15:55:05
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quote:
Originally posted by Brace Cormaeril
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
And I know other people are in similar situations -- they want to play, but they simply can't coordinate with a group of locals. So me and people like that have two choices: rearrange our schedules to find another local group and go thru the issues of coordinating with them, or simply don't play. A virtual gaming table gives a third option -- players that aren't local.
Just thinking about gaming with people in this community blows my mind. Adventuring with 3 or 4 of you guys? That's what I call a party.
+1 there sir! For me it is close to impossible to ever have a local gaming group. I well working virtual table system with CK members would have fixed schedules in my agenda.
The somewhere else suggested idea of a NWN CK server where to play custom campaigns together also appeals to me. |
"You make an intriguing offer, one that is very tempting. It would seem that I have little alternative than to answer thusly: DISINTEGRATE!" Vaarsuvius, Order of the Stick 625 |
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Thauramarth
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
729 Posts |
Posted - 19 Apr 2010 : 17:46:55
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Oh, I'll agree that a virtual gaming table wouldn't be the same as an actual table with all your friends gathered, and that you'd also have all those other distractions to deal with... Of course, kids and significant others can barge in or call if you're at a friend's house, too.
I'm looking at situations like mine -- I'm still in contact with most of my old gaming group, but because of scheduling conflicts, we've not rolled dice together in over ten years. I have literally not played D&D since the waning days of 2E.
And I know other people are in similar situations -- they want to play, but they simply can't coordinate with a group of locals. So me and people like that have two choices: rearrange our schedules to find another local group and go thru the issues of coordinating with them, or simply don't play. A virtual gaming table gives a third option -- players that aren't local.
Yeah, there's still going to be scheduling issues, but it's a hell of a lot easier to coordinate with people when they all they have to do is get comfortable in front of the computer. MMOs have people gathering for raids at set schedules on a daily basis -- that proves it can be done. My local friends may not be able to free up six hours every Friday night, starting at 7, but for players in other parts of the world, that may be 9 PM or 1AM, and a perfect time for them to play.
Chatting with people online certainly lacks the camaraderie of an in-the-flesh gathering, but it's more than you get with no gaming at all.
You're absolutely right, it beats not gaming by a mile. I think the point I wanted to make is that WotC is not likley to develop a virtual tabletop, because a) there's a lot of them already out there (I googled "virtual RPG tabletop"), and b) such a product is not likely to add to the current customer base, so... |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36803 Posts |
Posted - 20 Apr 2010 : 00:18:48
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quote:
Originally posted by Thauramarth
You're absolutely right, it beats not gaming by a mile. I think the point I wanted to make is that WotC is not likley to develop a virtual tabletop, because a) there's a lot of them already out there (I googled "virtual RPG tabletop"), and b) such a product is not likely to add to the current customer base, so...
See, I strongly disagree with your last point. WotC has a lot of clout in the gaming industry, and if they pushed a viable virtual gaming table -- regardless of if it was theirs or someone else's -- that would draw attention, and thus players, to that table.
I feel quite strongly that giving existing players a way to get together with other players, regardless of location, can only do good things for the hobby. |
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Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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Mr_Miscellany
Senior Scribe
545 Posts |
Posted - 20 Apr 2010 : 08:38:50
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As an aside: our gaming group consists of married and not married players, most in their 30s, who've managed to hold finish college, acquire and hold down full time jobs while participating actively in non RPG hobbies (like hockey, paintball, daily visits to the bar, etc...) while still managing to game 2-3 times per week.
I'm certain that as soon as children come along for any of us, that person would be down to no gaming, but then back up to at least once a week.
Time constraints are an issue, but I think there is a population (however big it is) of dedicated lifetime players who've learned to manage their time and overcome the hurdle of making it all work.
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Ashe Ravenheart
Great Reader
USA
3243 Posts |
Posted - 20 Apr 2010 : 13:58:08
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quote:
Originally posted by Mr_Miscellany
As an aside: our gaming group consists of married and not married players, most in their 30s, who've managed to hold finish college, acquire and hold down full time jobs while participating actively in non RPG hobbies (like hockey, paintball, daily visits to the bar, etc...) while still managing to game 2-3 times per week.
I'm certain that as soon as children come along for any of us, that person would be down to no gaming, but then back up to at least once a week.
Time constraints are an issue, but I think there is a population (however big it is) of dedicated lifetime players who've learned to manage their time and overcome the hurdle of making it all work.
I think the biggest issue is still the 'stigma' involved with gaming. And by this, I don't mean the gamers, I'm referencing how the non-gamers in the gamer's life view the hobby.
I've seen guys get together once a week for over thirty years for a bowling league and their friends and family don't bat an eyelash at having to schedule around that person's involvement. But if you're a gamer, then family and friends will schedule something that overlaps you're weekly game and look at you like you're crazy when you complain that you've already had plans. After all, "it's just a game..." |
I actually DO know everything. I just have a very poor index of my knowledge.
Ashe's Character Sheet
Alphabetized Index of Realms NPCs |
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Alisttair
Great Reader
Canada
3054 Posts |
Posted - 20 Apr 2010 : 14:26:21
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quote:
Originally posted by Ashe Ravenheart
I think the biggest issue is still the 'stigma' involved with gaming. And by this, I don't mean the gamers, I'm referencing how the non-gamers in the gamer's life view the hobby.
I've seen guys get together once a week for over thirty years for a bowling league and their friends and family don't bat an eyelash at having to schedule around that person's involvement. But if you're a gamer, then family and friends will schedule something that overlaps you're weekly game and look at you like you're crazy when you complain that you've already had plans. After all, "it's just a game..."
OMG so true!! |
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Anauria - Survivor State of Netheril as penned by me:
http://www.dmsguild.com/m/product/172023 |
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Zorro
Seeker
Germany
82 Posts |
Posted - 20 Apr 2010 : 17:15:43
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quote:
Originally posted by Mr_Miscellany
Time constraints are an issue, but I think there is a population (however big it is) of dedicated lifetime players who've learned to manage their time and overcome the hurdle of making it all work. (...)
You're incredibly lucky, you know that? I can only speak for myself, but the people in my group don't live close to each other, all of us but one are married, have kids and time-consuming jobs, and to top it all off, the respective wives, being the social creatures they are, arrange meetings with family and friends left, right and center. We're lucky if we can manage to get together one night a month. I do make time for my hobby, but I can't blame anyone for not as easily being able to.
quote:
Originally posted by Ashe Ravenheart
I think the biggest issue is still the 'stigma' involved with gaming. And by this, I don't mean the gamers, I'm referencing how the non-gamers in the gamer's life view the hobby.
I've seen guys get together once a week for over thirty years for a bowling league and their friends and family don't bat an eyelash at having to schedule around that person's involvement. But if you're a gamer, then family and friends will schedule something that overlaps you're weekly game and look at you like you're crazy when you complain that you've already had plans. After all, "it's just a game..."
I have to second Alisttair: Truer words have never been spoken...
Zorro |
I think that God in creating Man somewhat overestimated his ability. - Oscar Wilde |
Edited by - Zorro on 21 Apr 2010 17:35:45 |
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skychrome
Senior Scribe
713 Posts |
Posted - 21 Apr 2010 : 18:46:30
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Roleplaying and computer playing are probably the top 2 "no-go"'s on wives' black list of husband's forbidden activities... 
There is no bigger luxury to the married men than finding time and space for that. |
"You make an intriguing offer, one that is very tempting. It would seem that I have little alternative than to answer thusly: DISINTEGRATE!" Vaarsuvius, Order of the Stick 625 |
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Jorkens
Great Reader
Norway
2950 Posts |
Posted - 21 Apr 2010 : 19:46:56
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quote:
Originally posted by skychrome
There is no bigger luxury to the married men than finding time and space for that.
Except the luxury of a gaming partner/wife of course. That solves those problems easily. |
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Elfinblade
Senior Scribe
Norway
377 Posts |
Posted - 21 Apr 2010 : 20:01:36
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quote:
Originally posted by Jorkens
quote:
Originally posted by skychrome
There is no bigger luxury to the married men than finding time and space for that.
Except the luxury of a gaming partner/wife of course. That solves those problems easily.
Don't be silly Jorkens. Girls don't play games. (Girls are the ones with mammary organs and long flowing hair right?) |
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Milith holder of HB8
Seeker
USA
63 Posts |
Posted - 21 Apr 2010 : 20:07:36
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quote:
Originally posted by Elfinblade
quote:
Originally posted by Jorkens
quote:
Originally posted by skychrome
There is no bigger luxury to the married men than finding time and space for that.
Except the luxury of a gaming partner/wife of course. That solves those problems easily.
Don't be silly Jorkens. Girls don't play games. (Girls are the ones with mammary organs and long flowing hair right?)
They were the ones in Lost Empires of Faerun, right? |
Hey, babe, see my shiny teeth as I smile my very best wolf smile- Ed Greenwood. |
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Jorkens
Great Reader
Norway
2950 Posts |
Posted - 22 Apr 2010 : 09:50:07
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quote:
Originally posted by Elfinblade
quote:
Originally posted by Jorkens
quote:
Originally posted by skychrome
There is no bigger luxury to the married men than finding time and space for that.
Except the luxury of a gaming partner/wife of course. That solves those problems easily.
Don't be silly Jorkens. Girls don't play games. (Girls are the ones with mammary organs and long flowing hair right?)
Damnations I will have to take an extra look at my wife then; other dimensional maybe? In hindsight I should have gotten suspicious when she did a happy-dance over my record collection and proclaimed a Hildebrandt Star Wars poster to be the perfect wall decoration in our apartment. Oh the horror! Then again it might have been my own long,flowing hair that confused me here.
And PS. I said Partner/wife; I didn't limit the comment to girls/women. |
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Elfinblade
Senior Scribe
Norway
377 Posts |
Posted - 22 Apr 2010 : 10:25:59
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quote:
And PS. I said Partner/wife; I didn't limit the comment to girls/women.
Touchè |
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Kyrene
Senior Scribe
South Africa
757 Posts |
Posted - 22 Apr 2010 : 12:47:28
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quote:
Originally posted by Ashe Ravenheart
A part of me just gave up a little more...
I had been keeping a thread asking about the Fansite Policy alive over on the WotC forums by bumping it every so often. Since we're approaching the 2 year anniversary of the new edition, I had been 'bumping' the thread everyday for the last month, hoping to get SOMEONE to give us some news.
Well, the admin over there finally got sick of my spamming and locked the thread and instructed me to send a message to Customer Service with my questions. So, now I put it to you, my fellow sages: go to the Wizards Customer service page and send them an email.
Subject: Fansite Policy
Message: Can we have a clearly delineated policy showing what fansites may or may not publish to the public?
I tried that (in fact I did it as I read your post Ashe), and got a reasonably prompt response, but... A little (as my expectations of WotC are already little) part of me also gave up when I read it: It seems a "clearly delineated policy showing what fansites may or may not publish to the public" is the same as a "Fansite Toolkit". [puke-smily]
If needs be I can quote the whole reply. It should be good for a morose laugh or two.  |
Lost for words? Find them in the Glossary of Phrases, Sayings & Words of the Realms
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36803 Posts |
Posted - 22 Apr 2010 : 12:56:22
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quote:
Originally posted by Kyrene
quote:
Originally posted by Ashe Ravenheart
A part of me just gave up a little more...
I had been keeping a thread asking about the Fansite Policy alive over on the WotC forums by bumping it every so often. Since we're approaching the 2 year anniversary of the new edition, I had been 'bumping' the thread everyday for the last month, hoping to get SOMEONE to give us some news.
Well, the admin over there finally got sick of my spamming and locked the thread and instructed me to send a message to Customer Service with my questions. So, now I put it to you, my fellow sages: go to the Wizards Customer service page and send them an email.
Subject: Fansite Policy
Message: Can we have a clearly delineated policy showing what fansites may or may not publish to the public?
I tried that (in fact I did it as I read your post Ashe), and got a reasonably prompt response, but... A little (as my expectations of WotC are already little) part of me also gave up when I read it: It seems a "clearly delineated policy showing what fansites may or may not publish to the public" is the same as a "Fansite Toolkit". [puke-smily]
If needs be I can quote the whole reply. It should be good for a morose laugh or two.
I'd like to see that. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
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Cleric Generic
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
565 Posts |
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Ashe Ravenheart
Great Reader
USA
3243 Posts |
Posted - 22 Apr 2010 : 23:06:32
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quote:
Originally posted by Cleric Generic
Here's the fan-site legal blurb: http://www.wizards.com/fankit/fantoolkitdnd.html
The first paragraph encourages 'fan fiction', but then they go on to ban extreme sexual content... Clearly they've not read a lot of fan fiction. :p
We've seen the toolkit before, that's the reason we're on about a fansite POLICY.
Here's the official response I got (probably the same as Kyrene's):
quote:
Matt,
Thank you for your patience.
You can find the D&D Fan Site Toolkit under Downloads at the following link.
http://www.wizards.com/Company/Press.aspx
Take Care and Good Gaming!
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I actually responded to this and re-opened the question and got this response:
quote:
Matt,
I am escalating your issue along to the appropriate teams who can consider your request. They get a lot of contacts so it may be a little while before they respond, but they do want to reply to everyone who writes in. If you don't receive a response within 2 weeks, please reply to this email and inquire about the status of your request. We'll check in with them for you. We appreciate your patience in this matter.
That was on the 17th. |
I actually DO know everything. I just have a very poor index of my knowledge.
Ashe's Character Sheet
Alphabetized Index of Realms NPCs |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36803 Posts |
Posted - 23 Apr 2010 : 00:50:22
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quote:
Originally posted by Cleric Generic
Here's the fan-site legal blurb: http://www.wizards.com/fankit/fantoolkitdnd.html
The first paragraph encourages 'fan fiction', but then they go on to ban extreme sexual content... Clearly they've not read a lot of fan fiction. :p
I dunno... Maybe what they read is the reason for that line!
I read one okay bit of FR fanfiction, years ago... It was a crossover with Sailor Moon, and that's what caught my attention! The first part was good, but if the author ever continued it, I never saw it.
Most of the FR fanfiction I've seen wasn't worth the electrons needed to store it. Then again, I'm generally not a fan of anything not created from official sources (regardless of the setting).
As for fan fiction in general... I used to hang out in IRC with a group of people that delighted in finding bad fan fiction and giving it the Mystery Science Theater 3000 treatment. Most of it was really bad, and a couple of bits were disturbing... |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
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Edain Shadowstar
Senior Scribe
USA
455 Posts |
Posted - 23 Apr 2010 : 01:08:41
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert:
As for fan fiction in general... I used to hang out in IRC with a group of people that delighted in finding bad fan fiction and giving it the Mystery Science Theater 3000 treatment. Most of it was really bad, and a couple of bits were disturbing...
That is pretty much fan fiction in general. Given that all it takes to produce is time (often a remarkably undervalued commodity) there is no real filter on what makes it to publication. Makes me really appreciate editors, and whoever has the job of filtering through the detritus of human composition to find the diamonds. |
Edain Shadowstar
Archwizard of Rel Astra and Waterdeep
"Mmm…pie…"
- Gaius Solarian, Captain General |
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Cleric Generic
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
565 Posts |
Posted - 23 Apr 2010 : 01:19:56
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
I read one okay bit of FR fanfiction, years ago... It was a crossover with Sailor Moon, and that's what caught my attention! The first part was good, but if the author ever continued it, I never saw it.
teehee! There's a campaign in there somewhere! |
Cedric! The Cleric Generic and Master of Disguise!
ALL HAIL LORD KARSUS!!!
Vast Realmslore Archive: Get in here and download everything! http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/archfr/rl
2e Realms book PDFs; grab em! - http://poleandrope.blogspot.com/2010/07/working-around-purge.html |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36803 Posts |
Posted - 23 Apr 2010 : 02:11:18
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quote:
Originally posted by Cleric Generic
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
I read one okay bit of FR fanfiction, years ago... It was a crossover with Sailor Moon, and that's what caught my attention! The first part was good, but if the author ever continued it, I never saw it.
teehee! There's a campaign in there somewhere!
It involved a handful of the Sailor girls. I don't recall an explanation for how they wound up in the Realms, but I do recall that they got scattered -- most of them wound up in the general vicinity of one of the Seven Sisters. That's about all I recall about it. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
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Darkmeer
Senior Scribe
USA
505 Posts |
Posted - 23 Apr 2010 : 03:44:05
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LOL Sailor Moon FR Fan fic. Okay, that's twisted. Really twisted.
Then again, I've rehashed part of the Ronin Warriors storyline using called armor & weapons as part of the plot... for the bad guys.
Anyways, the wonderful part about this thread is that it's remained civil. A little jab here where there are sore spots, but nothing out of line. I'm proud to see that on both sides of certain arguments.
Now, off to plot some more. 
/d |
"These people are my family, not just friends, and if you want to get to them you gotta go through ME." |
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froglegg
Learned Scribe
317 Posts |
Posted - 24 Apr 2010 : 19:52:58
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quote:
Originally posted by Jakk
quote:
Originally posted by Julian Grimm
With all they did at the end of 3e I would have rather seen the reset button hit for 4e. Go back to the Greybox and start over. It would have made more sense than one more mega-RSE and a major fanbase split.
I agree... well, there's always 5E...
LOL! I hear that they are already putting out feeler's for game designer's to start putting things in order to start sending them propsals for a 5th edition.
John |
Long live Alias and Dragonbait! Kate Novak and Jeff Grubb the Realms need you more then ever!
On my word as a sage nothing within these pages is false, but not all of it may prove to be true. - Elminster of Shadowdale
The Old Grey Box gets better with age! |
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What happened to Open ,Free and Spirited Debate?
